we're live this evening from new york, denver los angeles and washington. president obama and governor romney faced off tonight in the first of three debates before election day on november 6th. domestic policy was in focus during the 90-minute showdown at the university of denver. the platform gave govern romney an opportunity to reignite his campaign which has suffered some this summer. they sparred across a range of issues. >> there's a various done of small businesses across the country saying what's the effect of obamacare in your hiring plans. three quarters said it makes us less likely to hire people. i just don't know how the president could come into office, facing 23 million people out of work, rising unemployment and economic crises at the kitchen table, and spend his energy and passion for two years fighting for obamacare instead of fighting for jobs for the american people. >> the irony is that we've seen this model work really well, in massachusetts. because govern romney did a good thing, working with democrats in the state to set up what is